Deadmeat Saga

Chapter 13(New) – Husband!

After exiting the room, Gerhart and Hope returned to the slave merchant.

"Dear Sir! Are you satisfied with the girl?" The merchant flatteringly asked while rubbing his hands.

"I am satisfied. If she is still 1,000 Silver Coins, I will buy her. If not, then no matter. There is another slave in the other shops I have an eye on." Gerhart replied.

Hope instructed him to say that. If he said something like, "I will buy her no matter what!" the merchant might hike the price up to infinitum to what he perceives he can squeeze out of Gerhart or even refuse to sell her.

"I am glad." The merchant nodded and turned to his slave. "Lexi! Call the representative."

"Yes, Master." The slave girl bowed and left the shop.

Unlike small transactions, more significant transactions, especially those involving slaves or high-worth items, required official recording. You needed to bring a representative official to oversee the transaction and record it for fairness.

During Market Day, the slave auction had a representative handle all transactions in the background. But during weekdays, they needed to call a representative from the merchant district. Since the merchant district was two minutes away by foot, it wouldn't take long.

"Dear Guest, please have a seat. I shall prepare the bill of sale. Do you also wish to buy her clothes and a magic collar?" The merchant asked.

"Yes," Gerhart replied.

"Understood." The merchant nodded and searched for a parchment.

Meanwhile, Gerhart patiently waited while Hope sat at the side.

About five minutes later, a man in an official uniform went inside with the slave girl, Lexi.

"Lexi, go bring clothes and sandals to the girl." The merchant said.

"Yes, Master." The slave girl replied and went to the back of the shop.

Meanwhile, the official approached the merchant.

"I understand someone wishes to purchase a slave?" The official asked.

"Yes, that is him." The merchant pointed at Gerhart.

"Understood. Please present identification." The official requested.

"Here," Gerhart said, taking out his guild card.

"E-rank Adventurer... Okay, you have the qualifications to purchase a slave. Please show me the relevant bill of sale and goods." The official returned the card and demanded.

"Here, Sir." The merchant showed the bill of sale to the official, who then looked at Hope.

"Okay... 1,000 Silver Coins for the slave, 80 Silver Coins for a Magic Collar, and another 30 for a children's dress, loincloth, and sandals for the slave. In total, 1,110 Silver Coins. Objections?" The official asked Gerhart.

"None," Gerhart replied, knowing it would cost about that much.

At this time, Lexi brought back suitable clothes for Hope to wear.

Once the official confirmed everything, he nodded.

"Okay, everything is in order. Method of payment?" He asked.

"Card," Gerhart replied.

"Okay. Both of you are to sign the document first." The official demanded.

"I can't read. Can she check it first?" Gerhart didn't immediately sign. Instead, he pointed at Hope.

The merchant and official had weird looks, but the official still nodded. "Alright, let her read it for you."

"Okay. Girl, read it." Gerhart ordered, trying to sound like a master.

"Yes, Master." Hope played along and checked the document. After quickly scanning it, she nodded. "It is alright, Master." She said and stepped back.

With nothing to worry about, Gerhart signed the bill of sale in the designated area, and the merchant signed in his area. However, the bill was unofficial yet, as it needed an official stamp of transaction.

"Please head to your guild or a Union Bank branch and officiate the transfer. And please don't lose the paper." The official said and promptly left the shop.

"Sir, let your new slave get dressed first, and then we shall head to the Union Bank." The merchant said.

"Alright." Gerhart nodded and turned toward Hope. "Girl, get dressed."

"Yes, Master," Hope replied, took the new clothes, and headed to a secluded area to get changed.

A few minutes later, Hope returned, appearing like a sickly child with short white hair and round mouse ears, wearing a green and brown dress and sandals. Gerhart didn't see her tail but guessed it was wrapped around her waist.

"Lexi, watch the shop." The merchant said.

"Yes, Master." The slave girl nodded.

"Please follow me to the Union Bank, Sir." The merchant said.

"Alright." Gerhart nodded.

"You come along as well, girl." The merchant said to Hope.

"Yes, Master," Hope replied.

The three left the shop and walked to the Union Bank, barely a hundred meters away. But it seemed that even this short walk was tiring for the girl.

"Hah... Hah..." Hope panted, frowning but enduring it.

"Whoa... We barely walked a few hundred steps... She is so fragile..." Gerhart bitterly thought.

"Merchant, I will carry the girl. She is too weak." Gerhart said.

The merchant paused, having a weird look. But when he looked at the tired Hope, he nodded. "Alright. But if you damage her, you will pay for the damage even if you don't buy her."

"No worries. I will buy her regardless, even if she is a corpse." Gerhart reassured.

"Alright then..." The merchant said and waited.

"Hope, get on my back," Gerhart said, crouching down.

"But... Master..." Hope had a complicated look.

"It is an order," Gerhart said.

"... Thank you." Her pale face blushed a bit as she got on Gerhart's back.

Effortlessly carrying her, Gerhard walked with the merchant to the Union Bank, a prominent building in the merchant district.

After entering the building, Gerhart enjoyed the cool air inside as he put Hope next to a guest chair and went to the reception desk with the merchant.

The rest of the transaction was linear. After the receptionist checked the bill of sale and confirmed their identities, Gerhart transferred the money to the merchant, and the receptionist signed the bill, authenticating it.

It might be tedious, but it was required to avoid fraud, and it was better than hauling chests full of silver and gold around to be stolen.

After everything was confirmed, Gerhart claimed ownership of the slave collar with the merchant's magic. The magic collar prevented a slave from attacking the master or running away, forcing the slave to obey orders. If they refused, they would get shocked. Of course, this method was only useable on weaker slaves. More powerful slaves required a proper slave contract. However, such magic was rare and valuable and wouldn't be used on most slaves.

"With this, our business is finished. Please take good care of your new slave. If you have any questions or requests, come to me first." The merchant smiled and shook hands with Gerhart.

"Thank you, I will." Gerhart smiled and shook the merchant's hand.

With the deal sealed, Gerhart carefully rolled the paper, stowed it in his shirt, and (literally) picked Hope.

"Are you hungry?" Gerhart asked his new slave.

"Not really, master. My body doesn't need much food, and I received the same portion as an adult slave, so I am still full." Hope replied.

"You can drop the master. Just call me Gerhart." Gerhart said, uncomfortable with being called like that.

"Only in private. In public, I will call you master." Hope said.

"Fair. So where should we head now?" Gerhart asked while looking around.

The surrounding folk gave strange looks to Gerhart, who was carrying Hope. A master carrying a slave and a demi-human at that was rare.

"Do you have a house, master?" Hope asked.

"Not yet. I am buying one tomorrow." Gerhart said.

"Then we should find an inn to rest," Hope said. "Ideally, an average one and not a cheap one."

"Okay." Gerhart nodded.

Gerhart walked around the Market District before finding an average inn that likely catered to merchants. Once there, under the weird look of the owner, Gerhart rented a double room, headed upstairs, and entered the room, lowering Hope on the bed.

"Thank you for carrying me, Gerhart... It was embarrassing, though..." Hope said with a blush.

"It is fine," Gerhart said, locked the door, and sat on a chair.

"So, Gerhart... How will you give me a healthy body?" Hope curiously asked.

"What you are about to see will be weird, and you are not to say a word about it," Gerhart said, turning serious.

"I know." Hope nodded with a serious look on her childlike face. "I shall take this secret to the grave."

"Very well. Give me your hand." Gerhart said, extending his hand to her.

"Okay." Hope grabbed Gerhart's hand.

As he grasped her childlike, soft, furry hand with pads, Gerhart closed his eyes and said in his mind. "Can you make her my Thrall?"

Entity Detected. Convert Into Thrall?

That confirmed it. He can.

"Hope, I am unsure what will happen. It might even be excruciatingly painful, and there might be no way back." Gerhart warned Hope.

"I was born ready. Do it." Hope said.

"Okay... Convert." Gerhart said.

The following moment...

Black energy flowed out of Gerhart's body and into Hope's body through their hands.

Hope suddenly shook as she felt a force entering her, waging a tug of war with her willpower. It spoke to her, giving an authoritative demand and a promise.

Submit. Do so, and you shall gain the power you desire.

Hope's intuition was also triggered at this time. It told her that if she accepted this deal... There was no turning back. It was more than a mere slave contract... It was as if she would sell her soul to the devil. She would be Gerhart's slave, body, mind, and soul, for eternity... In exchange for unbridled power unachievable by mortals.

She felt she could resist it if she wanted... But why would she do that? After all—

"It is just like I wanted. I submit... I am yours." Hope closed her eyes and let her defenses down, letting the strange power freely roam inside her mind and soul.

It didn't hurt her. It roamed around before fusing with her, becoming part of her, changing her, creating a connection with him... Her Master.

Good. Serve well, and you shall be rewarded with blessings and a better Position.

At the same time, Gerhart felt connected to Hope as he received a message.

Hope Farrington has been Converted Successfully.

"Hah... So it worked?" Gerhart thought. "I thought it would be painful for her. Luckily, I was mistaken."

Plop* 

Suddenly, Hope let go of his hand and collapsed forward, falling on her hands and knees, her head lowered to the floor.

"Hope?! Are you al—"

"I greet the Lord," Hope said while on her knees.

"Er... Hope?" Gerhart was taken aback. "You don't need to do this..."

"I must. I failed to realize my Lord's majesty before and even let my Lord carry me. I deserve death..." Hope said while shivering.

"... What the hell..." Gerhart mentally retorted.

"Hope, please stop this and sit..." Gerhart said, feeling troubled.

"How could I sit in front of my Lord... The very act of breathing the same air as my Lord is a sin..." Hope refused.

"What the hell... Relic! Please undo this needless subservience!" Gerhart cried in his mind.

Hope Farrington's Position is Slave. Change Position?

"Hah... Finally. Yes!" Gerhart said.

State Her New Position.

"Equal." Gerhart tried.

Invalid.

State Her New Position.

"It didn't work?! Then... Friend." Gerhart tried.

Invalid.

State Her New Position.

"Associate?" Gerhart tiredly thought.

Invalid.

State Her New Position.

"... Give her the highest Position, then!" Gerhart retorted in his mind.

Affirmative. Hope Farrington's Position has changed to Wife.

"... What?" Gerhart's mind short-circuited. "What do you mean, wife?!"

At the same time, Hope shivered and slowly stood up. When she looked at Gerhart, her pink eyes became infatuated, her expression melting into a love-struck look.

"Husband!" She said and gave Gerhart a tight hug.

However, from anyone else's perspective, it would look like a child hugging a parent figure.

"..."

"God... Dammit..." Gerhart cried in his mind.